Chapter 6

"Oh my gosh that is so funny!" Tracy laughed.

Her, Mark and I were all in their living room watching a movie about a month later. Things between Mark and I had been pretty decent though he did let a smart comment slip every now and then. I simply brushed it off or I returned with an insult of my own. In a way, I guess you can say we acted like siblings…He even started checking on me every day when I came home from work. Normally I was dead tired and he would either massage my feet or simply made sure I was comfortable before I laid down for a nap. It was really cute…but I had to remember that he belonged to my sister. Although, she had been gone a lot lately since Mark and I started getting along. I mean I knew she was still stressed about the kid problem but why would you let your husband stay at home alone with your younger sister every day?

"Wow where did you find this movie?" I asked Mark since he was the one who picked it out.

He finished laughing and then answered me, "One of my co-workers let me watch it, and I decided to go buy it."

"Well this was definitely a great idea," Tracy said as she passed me the popcorn bowl. I gladly took a small handful of popcorn before giving it back to her.

"So how are you feeling sis, I see you and my husband here seem to be getting along." She asked me.

I sighed, "I'm doing much better now that Mark has admitted to being a jerk."

She gasped and looked at him. "Is that so? Now why was that hard to do?"

He shrugged, "I never said it was hard, I just didn't feel like it at the time."

She rolled her eyes, "Whatever. Anyways Serena, I don't know if Mark told you but we're having a cookout this weekend."

I looked at her in disbelief. Tracy had never liked cookouts or anything that dealt with her being around a lot of people for a long period of time.

"I know what you're thinking Serena…and yes I still hate cookouts, but this is for Mark's job." She said with a little annoyance in her voice.

He glared at her, "Why did you say it like that? You made it seem like hell on Earth of something."

She rolled her eyes, "Please don't start with me Mark. I said I'd be at the cookout alright?"

He sucked his teeth and then got up and left the room, mumbling under his breath. I could feel the awkward tension in the air as he left.

"Does he always do that?" I whispered.

She sighed and sat the popcorn bowl on the coffee table. "Only when I've pissed him off, which is often lately…"

I curled up on the couch ready for her to pour her feelings out. I always felt like her personal little diary that she wrote in almost every day. There wasn't any secret that my sister hid from me…at least I think…

"Is it because of the kids situation?" I asked.

She nodded as a tear fell from her eye. She wiped it away and then jumped at the sound of Mark slamming the back door. "I guess he went to the garage or something."

I sighed, "Look girl, I know you don't want to but…you just might have to tell Mark the truth. I mean I understand your fear but…I really don't think Mark is going to leave you. He loves you Tracy."

"I know he loves me, but put yourself in his shoes. If I came to you and told you I had a hysterectomy, a year before we got married…how would you feel?" she asked.

I frowned and looked away from her, "I'd be upset, but I wouldn't let it ruin the years we spent together. Tracy listen, the longer you hold this secret, the more likely he's going to find out….you can't keep this from him."

She sighed, "I don't know Serena…there's so much I haven't told him yet besides that."

I blinked at her, "What else haven't you told him?"

Just as she was about to tell me, I felt a little pain in my side that made me cringe.

"Are you ok?" She asked me.

I took a deep breath and slowly exhaled until the pain ceased, "Yeah, the baby is moving around."

She smiled, "Awe, has he kicked yet?"

I nodded, "Mostly when I'm laying down or when I'm hungry."

"is he kicking now?" she asked.

I moved my hand around my belly until I felt him kick my side. With a smile, I grabbed her hand and gently pressed it against my belly. He kicked her several times making her giggle.

"Oh he's definitely a boy." She said. "I can't believe his father isn't going to be around for you though."

I frowned, "Yeah…I know."

"Serena you should file for child support. I mean the man raped you so you deserve some type of help from him." She said.

I shook my head, "No. He might have raped me but, I have to pay the price for getting drunk that night. I knew I wasn't supposed to be drinking and he took advantage of me…so this is as much my fault as it is his."

She sighed, "As much as I admire your strength, I still don't think it's fair that you're doing this all on your own. I would so take Mark for child support if I was in your shoes."

I giggled and then got up, "You're silly. Anyways I'm alright with things right now. Besides I have you here for me."

"Of course. Are you going to the guest house?" she asked.

I nodded, "Yeah I have an early shift in the morning so, I'm going to head to bed."

She gasped, "When were you going to tell me you got a job?"

"Just now,"

"And where are you working?"

I smirked, "At the biker bar downtown."

She gasped, "Oh really? I didn't know you were into biker guys sis."

I rolled my eyes, "Oh it isn't like that at all. I've been a waitress before and the manager said I was really pretty…so I took the job."

She shook her head, "Great, soon you'll be coming home with a new boy toy every night."

We laughed together as she got up and walked me to the door. I noticed her grabbing her keys and purse before stepping out onto the porch with me.

"Where are you going?" I asked her.

She smiled, "Well all that talk of men got me interested so, I'm going for a drink."

I blinked at her, "you drink?"

"Yes…well…no…listen if Mark asks just tell him I went for a drive."

I shook my head as I watched her walk down the driveway to her car. Once she was gone, I headed towards the guest house, folding my arms against the cool air. As I walked past the garage, I noticed Mark cleaning off one of his bikes. It was so beautiful that I couldn't help but stop and stare at it for a moment. It was a midnight blue color with a sliver engine. My eyes then found their way to the man who was cleaning it…

He looked so angry and determined at the same time. I then noticed that he wasn't wearing a shirt…the moon was glistening off his body, making him look like he was sculpted out of marble. His eyes twinkled like stars too bringing a small smile to my face.

He kept wiping off the bike, only noticing me when I started heading towards the guest house again, completely hot and bothered by him.

"Serena!" he called out to me.

I stopped walking and looked in his direction, "Yeah?"

"Don't tell me you're going to sleep already." He said as he put the towel over his shoulder.

I sighed and walked over to the garage. "I have to work tomorrow so…I need to go to bed."

He nodded as I finally made it over to him. I glanced down at the bike and smiled, "Harley Davidson."

He raised an eyebrow and then folded his arms. "Yeah…I guess you really do like motorcycles."

I nodded, "Yes. I think they are beautiful."

"interesting, your sister thinks I should get rid of them." he said as he reached for his shirt that was hanging on the door.

"Why?" I asked.

He chuckled, "She claims it would be dangerous to have around our future kids…if we have any."

I dropped my gaze from his catching myself before I let my sister's secret slip. "I'm sure you will some time and when you do, I'm going to spoil them like crazy."

"Oh no you aren't…"

I giggled, "Oh yes I am."

He shook his head and put his towel down. I glanced at all of his tattoos loving the designs. I started scratching the back of my head trying so hard to keep my hormones under control. He glanced at me as I turned away from him for a moment.

"Uh…are you ok?" he asked as he put on his shirt.

"Huh? Oh I'm fine." I said as I quickly looked back in his direction. "I'm just a little…cold…yeah…cold."

He chuckled, "Well come on I'll walk you to your place."

"My place?" I asked.

He nodded, "Yeah…I figured you'd be here for awhile until you were able to support yourself and the little one….so the place is yours for as long as you need it."

I smiled as he put his arm around me, warming my body up more. Damn why did he have to be so attractive. I was totally jealous of my sister at this point, and pissed that she was lying to him behind his back. In some ways, I kind of wished I was in her shoes and that this baby I was carrying could be his. Poor guy…I could only imagine how hurt he was going to be once he found out about Tracy.

"Thanks Mark, that's real nice of you." I said.

He smirked, "I know…I am a nice guy huh?"

I giggled, "You weren't before…"

"True. But that's all behind us now right?" he asked as we walked up onto the porch with me.

I nodded as I put my key in the lock and opened the door.

"Where is Tracy?" he asked.

I sighed as I flicked on the light switch. "She went for a drive. I guess she wanted to clear her head."

He shook his head as he came into the guest house and closed the door. "No she didn't."

I stopped midstride and kicked off my flip flops. "How do you know?"

He shrugged, "Because…I've followed her before."

I walked into the kitchen and turned on the light before grabbing a glass from the cabinet. "Mark that's so mean! You're supposed to trust her."

"Well I did until…well…nevermind. I shouldn't be talking to you about your sister." He said as he leaned in the doorframe of the kitchen opening.

I chuckled and looked over my shoulder at him, "It's better to talk to me about her than to talk to someone else trust me. I know her like the back of my hand."

He nodded still watching me as I grabbed some orange juice from the refrigerator.

"Alright then tell me this," he said as he grabbed a seat at the table. "How do I know if she's hiding something."

I damn near froze at hearing his question. "Oh…well…normally she'll push you away. She use to do that to me all the time when she was hiding something from me."

"Really…what kind of things did she hide from you?" he asked as I took a sip of the juice.

I finished swallowing and then went to the table and sat across from him. "Well, one time she broke my hair straightener and thought I wouldn't find out about it….then there was another time when she…"

"What?" he asked when I trailed off into my memories. My sister was my best friend no doubt…but she had done so many things to hurt me in my past. I had no clue why I was suddenly remembering it.

I sighed and shook it off, "It's not important. Just know that I know when my sister is hiding something."

"Oh. Well I think she's hiding something from me for sure. She's been acting real strange in the past year or so." He said. "I don't think she wants to have kids with me."

I gasped, "Mark stop…she definitely wants to have kids with you."

"No Serena, I know she wants kids…but not with, me" he said.

"What makes you say that?" I asked, "Tracy loves you."

He sighed, "No she doesn't. The one time I followed her…I saw her with some guy…"

I gasped, "What? Are you serious?"

"Very Serious…anyways they were at the bar and she just seemed too…happy with him you know?" he said.

I nodded knowing exactly what he was talking about. Tracy was always like that with the guys I used to date. Eventually I stopped dating just because I was so scared of losing a guy to her.

"Did you confront her?"

He nodded, "Of course, but she keeps sneaking off any chance she gets. Sometimes I wonder if she's brought guys here when I'm away at work."

I frowned feeling terrible for knowing this secret but I couldn't tell him. He seemed ready to leave her already and I didn't want to make it worse.

"Don't worry Mark, my sister loves you to death. She's not stupid enough to cheat on you."

"Why do you say that?" he asked.

I shrugged, "That's easy…everyone here knows who you are. If she cheats someone is bound to tell you."

He nodded and then smirked at me, "Would you tell me?"

I nearly choked on my juice when he asked me that. "W-what? Mark Tracy is my sister…I don't think it would be my place to tell you something like that."

"Funny…because she definitely wouldn't so the same for you." He said.

I raised an eyebrow at him, "What do you mean?"

"Serena…do you realize how many secrets of yours that I know about?" he said.

I froze for a moment wondering if he was trying to trick me into telling him her secret. "No way…Tracy wouldn't so that to me."

"You want to bet?" he asked. "I know all about how your dad, use to molest you when you were younger…"

My mouth damn near went dry when he said that. The only person in the world that knew about that was definitely Tracy…

"She told you that?" I asked.

He nodded, "Yeah, she told me some other stuff too but…I'm not going to put it out there."

I sighed, "Wow…some sister I have, but it's whatever. I won't allow it to affect me. I'm not a monster like her."

He chuckled, "That's very true…but you are beautiful like her."

I blushed, dropping my gaze from his. "Thanks."

"You're welcome…"

We stared at each other for a moment before I cleared my throat, "Well I better get to bed. I've got to work in the morning."

"oh yeah that's right….um…I'm sorry for hurting you if I did." He said.

I nodded, "It's ok. You showed me what kind of sister I truly have so…it's alright."

He nodded and then hugged me. I tried hard not to shiver against his body though it did feel nice having him touch me. "Goodnight Serena."

"Goodnight." I said as he headed for the door. As soon as he left I locked the door and then headed up to my room wondering if I should tell him her secret. Sure it wouldn't make me any better than her…but it would be a nice revenge tactic….

I went to sleep that night in a much better mood than I expected. Sure I was pissed about Mark knowing one of my secrets but in some ways I didn't mind him knowing. After all, he was becoming a real good friend to me. I couldn't wait to see where this journey to motherhood was going to take me next.